The Royal Yachting Association (RYA)
has now announced a new format for the VHF radio licence course.

To meet
European standards the RYA Short Range Certificate (SRC) course must include a minimum of 10 hours of
study followed by practical and written assessments. The new format comes into
effect on 2 January 2014.

The
standards for training and assessment for the SRC are set by the European
Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT), which
require a separation between training and examination.

These
new changes provide the consumer with a number of options:

Classroom
Training: 
Three of the
10-hours study time may be home study, using the course pack and RYA VHF radio
handbook. This will leave seven hours of classroom training which you will
undertake with a RYA instructor. To meet the new regulations, the practical and
written assessments will then be taken with a separate instructor.

Online
Training:

Alternatively, you can undertake your training via a new online VHF radio
course provided by the RYA. With this format, you will also receive a course
pack to assist learning online. Upon completion of the course, you will be
issued with a unique candidate number that verifies your eligibility to attend
both practical and written assessments at an approved RYA centre.

It is recommended that those customers who only have a VHF licence, should refresh
themselves of the changes in this area of safety via either of these new course
formats.

If you
have any questions about these changes or would like details of your local RYA
centre please visit: http://www.rya.org.uk/wheresmynearest